McCray returns to Hillsdale

Thursday

Jan 24, 2013 at 11:52 AMJan 24, 2013 at 11:52 AM

By Nancy Hastings

nancy.hastings@hillsdale.netHILLSDALE — A chance to discover the soul behind the curtain will give locals a taste of the blues Saturday night at The Dawn Theater in downtown Hillsdale.Larry McCray, a blues performer drawing attention worldwide, will appear in Hillsdale at 8:30 p.m. with special guests Blues Du Jour featuring Brian Anderson (Who Dat Blues Band) and Hillsdale’s own Eddie Crouch. Tickets are available at the Dawn Theater Box Office, Smith’s Flowers and Here’s to You Pub and Grub or by phone at 517-439-0110.Dawn Theater manager Peggy Williams said McCray is the opening for the winter blues series with blues artists appearing nearly every weekend all winter long.Having appeared in Hillsdale before in 2010 for the Street Dance in August and again at Johnny T’s in Feb. 2011, McCray is not new to Hillsdale fans.“I’ve performed in Hillsdale for years,” McCray said in a phone interview in-between touring. “I first came to perform for the frat guys at the college and have been to several parties.”McCray said he likes returning to Hillsdale where people like his music and he doesn’t have to explain it.“For those who follow my career, they are excited about a new record with special guests featured out of the norm,” he said. “We haven’t completed the project yet, so details will come later.”On his Web site at larrymccrayband.com, McCray is described as “one of a handful of talented young blues performers leading the genre across boundaries and into the new century.”McCray’s hard work paid off when he became the first artist signed by Virgin Records’ blues division — Pointblank Records. In 1990, they released his debut, “Ambition,” which was well received by the U.S. and European press.1993 saw the release of McCray’s second album, “Delta Hurricane,” which was recorded in Memphis with the notoriously funky “Uptown Horns.”The site notes the guitarist’s “gut-wrenching rendition of Warren Haynes’ power ballad, ‘Soul Shine,’ which opened many ears to McCray’s talent and diversity.”In 1998, Born To Play The Blues moved the story of McCray’s broadly appealing music forward another giant step.“Bold, brawny, often dazzling guitar lines are matched with confident, soul-drenched vocals,” the site reads. “Understated funk rhythms and crunchy rock riffs meet searing slow blues and booty-bumping shuffles.”The year 2000 found the guitarist co-establishing his own independent record company together with Koch, forming Magnolia Records. The release “Believe It” kicked it off, putting McCray on chart to continue to release albums on his own dime and time, without the business or rules of a pressing-type of label.McCray also sights a career highlight as being honored as the Orville Gibson 2000 Male Blues Guitarist of the Year. “Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, like seven or eight other people were nominated, as well,” McCray said.With Magnolia Records his new home and a young son to raise, McCray was able to pull back into his personal life for a while. McCray keeps busy on the road trying to find the time to write music.Magnolia Records released the McCray’s first live album, “Live On 75,” Dec, 6, 2005. In November of 2006, Larry’s latest studio record, simply self-titled “Larry McCray,” was released and is gaining popularity in the U.S. and is also making a splash in Europe.Williams said other big name artists will be featured in the blues series throughout winter weekends at The Dawn. Detroit’s own Motor City Josh & The Big 3! will appear Friday, Feb. 8, at 9 p.m. (doors open at 7:30 p.m.).